Don’t claim what you’ve not done - Akufo-Addo to Mahama

President Akufo-Addo has cautioned his ‘principal competitor,’ former President John Dramani Mahama, to desist from making pronouncements of supposed massive infrastructure development under his administration.

According to the President, though Mr Mahama had courted much attention to himself for being responsible for unprecedented infrastructure development, something which was captured in his green book, the realities on the grounds spoke different words.

Seeing it as a vindication to his statements on the poor roads network under Mahama, President Akufo-Addo stressed that almost anytime he visits traditional rulers since he took office, issues of bad roads come up.

Such issues begat the question of where the erstwhile Mahama administration constructed its much-touted roads, same of which were boldly and colourfully printed in the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC)‘book of life,’ the Green Book, prior to the 2016 elections.

It would be recalled that just when the NDC introduced that book, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), through its communicators, challenged the factuality of the content. The party argued that the NDC had photoshopped infrastructure and printed them as if they were real.

Especially on roads, the book contained very nice designs of roads constructed under Mahama. When the then opposition leader, Akufo-Addo, criticised Mahama on the roads, he was told that perhaps he sleeps when traveling, so he could not see the roads.

At a meeting with the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs yesterday at Jubilee House, President Akufo-Addo reiterated that roads were his biggest problem in Ghana.

He recalled: “Before I came here (Presidency), I was told by my principal competitor that he had done all the roads in the country. That he had been responsible for unprecedented infrastructure development, and yet, everywhere I go – I don’t think there’s been one traditional palace which I have entered where traditional authority talks to me, which does not raise the issue of roads in the area as principal concerns.”

Expressing his worry over politicians taking the ordinary voters for granted, President Akufo-Addo called for some scrutiny into claims of development by people who lead the nation.

He believes, “It’s not good for us politicians to be misleading the people. If you have not done something, don’t claim it. Don’t write in your book; don’t make pronouncements on it,” he said, adding: “The people themselves can tell the truth of what’s going on.”

The President’s comments were in response to a plea by the delegation that some roads in the Upper West Region are fixed, including the road from Mogduri, the overseas area, which links it directly to the region.

They pleaded with the government to turn its eyes to the Wa-Sawla road, as it is developing potholes, and called for remedies to alleviate the plight of travelers on that stretch.

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo indicated that the Ministry of Roads and Highways has a scheme on roads which would be rolled out soon, which includes the Lawra-Han-Tumu trunk road.

Recently, the government signed a US$2 billion barter agreement with Sinohydro, a Chinese company, for infrastructure development across the country. Out of the amount, about US$1.5 billion has been allocated for roads.

The delegation applauded to the President for commencement of work on the Wa-Han-Tumu-Navrongo road.

In his address, the Kuoro Babini Kanton VI, Tumu Kuoro, on behalf of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, tabled their concerns which they needed the government to address.

They want the government to facilitate the passage of the University of Development Studies (UDS) Autonomous Campuses Bill into Law, as a matter of urgency.

President Akufo-Addo, in his response, indicated that Parliament would work on it when it resumed this month from recess.

They anticipate the completion of the Wa Regional Hospital to enhance health service delivery in the region, as well as pleaded for the President to facilitate the process to fast-track the operations of commercial flights to ease the movements of travelers from the region to other parts of the country and vice versa.